Presently, many efforts are being made to convert and store energy so that electricity can be made available at a time and place when and where it is required.
One method of energy storage presently being developed is a flywheel that uses fluid to increase the mass of the flywheel during its operating cycle.
A problem with this type of flywheel is that, during the operating cycle, the weight of the flywheel will change depending on how much fluid is present within the flywheel.
Because there can be different amounts of fluid within the flywheel at different times, this means that there will be different stresses and strains upon the supporting bearings at different times of the operating cycle.
A flywheel energy storage system may have its operating cycle broken down into three distinct operating periods of time.
There is firstly the period of time when energy is transferred from one form of energy such as, for example, electrical energy into the flywheel to be stored as kinetic energy which can then be seen as the rotation of the flywheel.
Then there is the period of time when energy is not being transferred into the flywheel and not being transferred out of the flywheel other than losses within the system.
Lastly, there is the period of time when energy is being transferred out of the flywheel; this is usually converted into electrical energy for use by the consumer.
During these three periods of the operating cycle different forces, stresses and strains may be set up within flywheel energy storage system. These forces, stresses and strains may be transferred to and from the supporting bearings.
These forces stresses and strains may reduce the operating life of the flywheel energy storage system.
To aid the balance, vibration and overall performance of a flywheel containing fluid there exists a need for a bearing and support mechanism that can adapt very quickly to the constantly changing loads.